One more thing most people don't think about, from the reading I have done on this. You aren't just dealing with a heavy weight, and some vibration from the head hitting the anvil. You are also dealing with the inertia of the head lifting. You have 200 lbs swinging upwards with nearly the same speed it comes down. When it hits the top of the stroke and has to change direction its going to put a tremendous lifting force on the base of the hammer.

The directions that come with a little giant tell you isolate the hammer from the rest of the slab. You cut a hole in the floor and pour a large block of concrete under it, with an expansion joint all the way around it. They call this an inertia block, and even for a 25 lb hammer they recommend a big chunk of concrete.

I'm eventually going to build one eh 50 to 90 pounder just out of shits and grins no other reason... An leave it on skids... like one I seen in a DIY vid.... and being my outside place is mostly sand it will absorb lots of the downward impact...

I bought Clays plans many years ago and started collecting parts for a build, but never actually started it. I still want to but was hoping for a build party in my area. Who knows, maybe someday I'll get started on it.

I bought Clays plans many years ago and started collecting parts for a build, but never actually started it. I still want to but was hoping for a build party in my area. Who knows, maybe someday I'll get started on it.

The sand will absorb a lot of the energy and reduce the effectiveness of the hammer .

I don't know about that..... that sand has allotted energy itself...
I fall off the deck more often than not nowadays... an...an... when I hit the ground/sand
It sure doesn't seem to absorb that energy sure feels like its giving it all back to my fat crippled ass...

Awhile back there was a guy trying to sell a big power hammer fairly cheap, maybe steam powered. The damned thing was about 20 feet tall, and apparently about another story underground. I can't imagine the effort to move something like that, or even scrap it.

I am not an expert but for those who don't know anything about power hammers at all, when a power hammer is rated at 200 lbs that means the striking head weighs 200 lbs. Its like being able to swing a 200 lb hammer at 40 swings per minute....

A 200 lb hammer is going to require a very serious footing under it, both for the shear weight and the huge amount of vibration.

Any power hammer is pretty much a production tool. If you don't plan to do larger forgings like hammer heads, or damascus billets you won't have a lot of use for it. A 200lb hammer would really be oversized for most jobs, putting small stock in would get you a pancake on the first hit. If you look at the newer production air and mechanical hammers they make a lot more in the 25, 50 and 100lb sizes and there is a reason for that.

Personally, I think a hydraulic press would be more useful. The tooling is easier to make and the learning curve is a lot smaller. They also don't require an extra load of concrete and a trailer full of rebar.

If you've never seen a press in action, look up hoffman blacksmithing on youtube, he makes axes and has a bunch of specialty dies and stuff set up. Its pretty slick.

When I pictured a hydraulic press I was thinking about it being slow moving. The one Hoffman Blacksmithing has moves pretty quick.

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Tim
Self appointed director of junk, and old vehicles.

Mechanical will need to be setup for the size of material being worked.. A mechanical hammer can be ran with a deft touch but ideally it's a work horse and crude by many standards.. How good you are at adjusting the machine and the treadle will dictate just how good you are with the machine itself..

I own a 200lb hammer and it is not for a beginner..

For most a 25lbs or a 50lbs is great in a mechanical hammer.. Matt is correct you have the up an down so on the down it has a throw just like a hand hammer but amplified some so it will have snap.. Again if adjusted properly..

An air hammer can offer many advantages over mechanical including The Spencer hammer but you need a compressor large enough to run it..

an Air hammer can have really good control but it will also need some adjustments and the newer models will operate a lot like a steam hammer..

A steam hammer can be used as a vise, single blow, 2 blow, 3 blow, continuous run or anywhere in between and is the Cadillac of hammers..

Problem is you need a steam power plant to run them.. I almost bought a 1500lbs one.. Until what I found out was needed for air to run it 750cuft per minute... Or a 13 hp steam engine.. LOL.. Steam is crazy efficient..

If you are looking to build the and own a compressor I'd go with air..

If no air a Spencer hammer..

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Jennifer

If I defend myself I am attacked.

My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.

My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.

I'd like to think of something smart, but I don't want to hurt myself.